Can-testing machine



Jan. 1:2 1926.

i w. CAMERON cAu TESTING maar@ r11-ea Dec. L4. 1922 4 sneetsneet 1 /ll 'l' l ll l, l f' Il [l l l l Jan. 12 1926.

- 'W. CAMERON can TESTING 'MACHINE Filed Dec.j 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet, 4,

ww NHRA/f Patented Jan. l2, 1,926.

f UNITED *STATES PATENT oFFlci-z.

WILLIAI CAMERON, OIF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB T0 CAHRON CAN IACHIN- EBY COMPANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COPOBATION OF ILLINOIS.

cnn-TESTING MACHINE.

Animation/haa `:member 4, 1922. serial No. so4,1.

To all whom 'it may conceww,

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM CAMERON, a citizen of the United States, residin at Chicago, in the county of Cook and tate of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Testing Machines, of which the following is a specification. j

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for testing cans` by filling them with air under pressure and submerging the lled cans in a tank of water Wherein the operator can detecta leaky canby the, air bubbles rising therefrom in the water. l

' The invention aims to improve the construction and operation of machines of this general type, and with this end in view, contemplates novel means for feeding the cans successivelyto a rotating carrier, novel means for clamping and sealing the cans on the carrier, novel manually controlled means whereby the leaky cans may be separated from the good cans,'novel' means for discharging both the good and leaky cans vfrom the carrier, and other novel features which will become apparent as the invention is disclosed morendetail hereafter.

An importantfeature of the invention,

` tively principles of my invention and many of its l lnherent .advantages should be readily appreciated.

Referring to the drawings: Fig.V 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention; y

Figs. 2 and 3 are face views of the can holder, closing and opening cams, respec- Fig. 4 is a view 'looking toward the left at I4`1g. 1, certain portions of the carrier being broken away;

Fig. 5 is a fra mentary sectional View on the line 5-5 og Fig. 4; l

Fig.V 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1; s Figs. 7 and 8 are sectional views looking toward-the left and right, respectively, on the line 7-8 of Fig'. 6; A

Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of one .of the manuallyv controlled devices by which' the leaky cans 'are separated from lthe good cans;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view.

of the mechanism by which the cans are fed to and positioned on the carrier; and

Fig 11 is a similar view of the mechamsm for discharging the cans from the carrier.

however, resides in the fact that the cans Referring now to the drawings morel in detail, reference character 1 2 indicates, the

are deliveredl to the carrier at one Side thereof, are carried downwardly through and are4 submerged in a tank disposed around the 'lower portion of the carrier, and are discharged lfrom the carrierat the opposite side of the tank from which lthey were delivered to the carrier. .This construction provides a sim le, eiiicient, eco-A nomlcal, and rapid machine, and

' nection with the following description, the

base of the. machine upon which the liquid containing tank 13 and the various operating parts of the machine'are carried. The l tank is illustrated herein as being cast integrall'y with the base, although, manifest- 1y, it may be made of sheet metal or otherwise constructed independently of the base.

A standard 14, rising from one side of the.-

tank, is adapted to carry the chute 15 which delivers the can bodies to the machine, and also the cam plate 16 upon the face of which. the'cam bars 17 and 18 are' mounted, the purpose of which will'be 'later-explained. At the opposite side of the 4tank another standardV 19 carries the lea can 4delivery chute 21, the .goodl can de ivory chute 22, and the` camv plate 23', upon'the face of which are mounted the cam bars 24 and 25, for a purpose which will be later explained.

In suitable bearings 26 and 27, carried upon the frame structure 28 of the machine,

Vthere is rotatably mounted a hollowshaft 29 which supports the hub 31 of a large annular carrier fixed to and adapted to be rotated by the hollow shaft 29, which, in turn, has fixed thereon between the bearings 26 and 27 a worm wheel 32 meshing with anddriven by a worm 33, which receives its power from any suitable source.

Within the hollow shaft 29 there is disposed a stationary tubular axle or shaft 35, between which and the enlar ed surrounding forward end of the sha t 29 there is disposed a bearing sleeve 36. The forward end of the shaft 35 is closed by a screw plug 37, or other means, and its rear end is closed by a hollow cap 38, screwed into the end of the shaft and connected by a pipe 39 with a supply of air under suitable pressure. thrust collar 41, fixed to the shaft 35 by a key 42, is interposed between the ca 38 and the end of the shaft 29, and also o the bearing 27.

A stationary plate or disk 43 is mounted upon the shaft 35 in front of the carrier hub, and anA adjusting ring 44 is threaded onto the shaft 35 forwardly of this disk. By rotating this ring upon the shaft, the position of the disk 43 longitudinally of the shaft may be regulated, and in order to further assist in retaining the disk in position on the shaft, a set screw 45 is employed. Turning movement of the disk on the shaft is prevented by a spline 46.

Between the disk 43 and the opposed end of the carrier hub 31, there is inter osed a plate 47, which is urged into close tting engagement with the disk 43 by a plurality of coiled expansion springs 48, seated in op osed sockets formed in the plate and hu The plate 47 is rotatable upon the shaft 35 with the carrier hub, and to effect this rotation the plate is equipped with a plurality of studs 49 riveted to thev plate, and projecting into sockets 51 formed in the end of the hub. The `plate is therefore rotated with the carrier and is urged into sung engagement with the disk 43 by the springs 48.

Air under pressure,fwhich enters the bore of the shaft 35 from the supply pipe 39, is

' conducted from said shaft by an elbow pipe 52 toa laterally elongated port 53 formedin the disk 43. The plate 47 is provided with a series of angle shaped ports 54, connected by nipples 55 with ieces of hose 56, each of which is connected at its other end by a nipple 57 with a port 58 4extending through the stationary head 59^of one of the can Vclamping and holding members, whereby this air is conducted to the interior of a position can body clamped in such holder. The elongated port 53 is of sufiicient length to permit a flow of air under pressure into a can body so' as to place said body under internal pressure during the registry of a port 54 with said port 53, and after the port 54 has assed beyond the port 53, lthe port 54 will be sealed so as to preclude the escape of air by reason of the close fit between the contacting faces of the disk 43 and the plate 47.

The can carrier comprises a large circular rim 61 carried by -a plurality of spokes 62 radiating from the carrier hub 31. This rim comprises, as will be apparent from Fig. 4, a rear member 6 3 and a forward member 64, these two rim members being rigidly clamped together in any suitable manner.

The carrier rim is provided with a multiplicity of can holding and clamping devices, each of which comprises a stationary mem- A ber 59 carried upon a shaft or rod 65, which is longitudinally adjustable in the rim member 63, and is adapted to be locked in adjusted position by a set screw 66. This member is adjustable to accommodate the holder to cans of various lengths, and is faced with rubber' or other suitable material 67 (Fig. 4), adapted, when forced against the open end of a can body 68, to seal the open end thereof.

The other clamping member 69 of each holder is carried by a rod 71 slidably mounted in the rim member 64, and the outer end of this rod is connected by a link 72 with a bell crank arm 73 ada ted to swing from the clamping position siown in full lines in Fig. 5 to the release position indicated in dotted lines in said figure. It will be observed that when in clamping position, the connection between the link 72 and the bell crank is disposed just beyond a line intersecting the pivot of the bell crank and the pivotal connection between the link 72 and the rod 71, so that the clamp will automatically remain in the closed position shown. In order to limit swinging movement of the bell crank in a counter-clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 5, its outer end is equipped with an abutment 74 adapted to engage the projecting ear 75 of the rim member 64, this abutment being adjustably mounted in a split stud 76, best shown in Fig. 9, which is drawn together to clamp the abutment in adjusted position by a clamping screw 77.

Each bell crank member carries at its free end a post 78, which is slidable longitudinally in its bearing, the ost being provided at its inner end with a ob 79, and at its outer end with an anti-friction roller 81. A coiled spring 82, snu ly embracing the post 78, frictionally hol s the post in the shown in Fig. 9, but upon depres- 'sion ofl the post by pushing downwardly' upon the knob 79, the spring will be slightly expanded diametrically so as to release the post and permit its unrestricted further longitudinal movements The purpose of these posts will now be explained. Referringy to Figs. 1 and 2, it

ywill be. observed that the cam plate 16,

' into position between the clamping heads 69 Aso and 59. Blocks 84 (Fig. 10) disposed between successive clamping stations on the carrier rim insure that the can bodies will enter between the rim members in proper position to be clamped betweenv the clamp. ing heads. These blocks are detachably mounted on the rim and may be replaced by larger or smaller blocks to accommodate the apparatus to smaller or larger diameters of can bodies. After a holding station has received its can body from the chute l5, further travel of the carrier will bring the roller 81 into engagement with the cam 17, which, as will be apparent from Fig. 2, will swing the roller, and thereby the bell crank 7 3, iii the opposite ldirection to the full line position shown in Fig. 5, in which position it becomes automatically locked, as pre- 4viously explained, to clamp the can body snugly between the heads 59 and 69, as

shown in' Fig. 4.- It should be observed that the tail portion 85 of the cam 17 is shaped to engage the rollers 81, should the machine accidentally be reversed. This insures that the parts will be roperly positioned in their travel past the c ute mechanism so that no breakage of parts ma be caused.

The` mechanism w ich delivers the 4can bodies to the carrier and insures the proper position of the cans with respect to the clamping heads is most clearly shown in Figs.- 1 and 10, and referring thereto, it will be observed that an arm 86, carried by the hollow axle 35, is provided at its left hand, viewing Fig. l, with a ybracket 87 upon which an arcuate guard plate 88 is mounted. The bracket 87 is secured tothe `arm 86 by bolts 89 passing through elongated slots in the bracket so that the guard plate may be adjusted toward or from the perimeter of the carrier 'to accommodate can bodieslof various diameters. A can body entering the carrier from the chute 15 rests upon the yblock 84 and its inward movement is limited bythe (guard plate 88. To insure that the can bo y will be engaged with the guard plate, there is mounted immediately beneath the delivery end ofthe chute 15 an arm 89 fulcrumed at 91 upon a bracket 92, the lower end of this arm being disposed in the path of travelof the can bodies, and yieldingly urged into this position 'by a tractile spring 93. An adjustable abutment 94 limits Ithe projection of the lower 'end of the arm into the path o the can bodies. To insure against accidentall jamming of the can.

bodies against the deliveryend of the chute 15, this end section 95 is pivotally mounted at 96 and is normally retained in the positionshown in Fig. 10 by a helical sprin 97 surrounding the pivot` pin and attache at one end to the chute structure, and at its other to the section 95, so that this section is yieldingly retained in position. The can body is therefore, by the conjoint action` of the block 84, theguard plate 88, and the spring pressed arm 89, accurately aligned between the clamping heads of the can holder, and when thus aligned the clamping head 69 will be moved' by' the cam 17 into clamping position, as previously explained,

thereby firmly clamping and holding -the can. Y

After the can vbody has been clamped, as

just explained, air is admitted thereto as the port 54, communicating with the interior of the clamped can body, passes the compressed auf supply port 53. The can body is therefore lilled with air under pressure, and when thus. filled, it is, by the con-.

.xtinued travel of the carrier, submerged in the water 1n the tank 13. The operator,

who stands at the front side of the machine,

observes the passagel of the can bodies through the water ,and if bubbles arise from any body, the operator pushes downwardly upon the knob 79 of the holder in which the defective can is carried, thereby lowering the roller 81 so that it will be engaged, as the body leaves the tank, by the. cam 25, While those holders containing good cans will not be thus manipulated and will be discharged from the machine at another point, as will now be explained. y

Referring now to. Figs. 1 and 3, it will `be observed that the cam plate 23, comprises two portions; namely, 98 and 99, `disposed at different radial distances from the center of the carrier. The cam 24 is disposed in' the path of travel of the rollers 81, which have not been depressed by. the operator, while the cam 25 is disposed in the path of travel of those rollers which have been depressed by the operator upon the discovery of leaky cans carried by such holders. Due to the difference in radial distances of the cams 24 and 25 from vthe center of the carrier, the rollers 81, which have not been depressed, will pass over the cam 25 and will not be affected thereby.

Considering one of the holders containing a perfect can, the roller 81 thereof will pass above cam 25 and be engaged by cam 24, which will swing the bell crank 7 3 so as to retract the head 69 and release the cam. This release will occur at about the time the can reaches the delivery chute 22, and to insure that the can will leave the carrier and enter this chute I have provided a kickout lever 101 (Fig. 11), the free end of which is yieldingly projected into the path l of travel of the can bodies by a tractile spring 102 so that as the released can body is brought into engagement with this lever, the body will be projected by the lever from the carrier into the chute 22. t

The imperfect cans, however, by reason of the fact that the posts of their holders have been depressed to dispose their rollers 81 in the plane of the cam 25, will be released by this cam and discharged from the carrier into the chute 21 by the kickout lever 103, similar in construction and operation to the lever 101, and likewise actuated by a tractile spring 104. After the imperfect can has been discharged, the end of the post 78 will ride up the incline 105 of the cam plate 23, thereby restoring the post to normal position.l

In order to prevent water from the ,wet holders from dripping upon the operator as the carrier is revolved, I have mounted beneath the upper portion of the carrier a drip plate 106, which is supported upon posts 107 carried by the arm 86. The righthand end of this arm is equipped with a bracket'108 upon which the kickout levers are mounted, as will be apparent from Fig. 11.

It is believed that my invention, its construction, mode of operation, and many of its innerent advantageswill be understood from the foregoing without further description, and while I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be manifest that the principles v thereof are capable of embodiment in a machine differing materially in structural details from that illustrated and described, and without departing from the essence of the invention, as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a can testing machine the combination of a rotatable carrier, a plurality of can holders mounted thereon, separating blocks interposed between successive holders, a guard plate at one side of the carrier disposed inside the path of travel and in proximity to the can holders, a can delivery chute opposed to said guard plate, and a spring pressed arm beneath said chute for positioning the cans in said holders.

2. In a can testing machine the combination of a rotatable carrier, a plurality of can holders mounted thereon, a can delivery chute for delivering cans to said holders, the delivery end of said chute being yieldably mounted, a yieldably mounted arm in proximity to the chute for urging the cans into positionl in said holders, and a guard plate cooperating with said arm to center the cans in the holders.

3. In a can testing machine the combination of a rotatable carrier, a plurality of can holders mounted thereon, each holder comprising a stationary head adjustably mounted on said carrier and a movable head opposed to said stationary head, a bell crank member mounted on the carrier in proximity to each holder, a toggle connection between each bell crank member and the movable head of the holder, a post slidably carried by each bell crank member, a spring for frictionally holding each post in position, and a stationary cam in the path of travel of said posts whereby said bell crank members are actuated to close said holders.

4. In a can testing machine the combination of a carrier, a plurality of can holders mounted thereon, each comprising an adjustable normally stationary head and a movable head, a bell crank member, a connection between said member and said movable head, said connection being adapted to automatically lock said movable head in can clamping position, a post slidably mounted in each bell crank member, and a coiled spring surrounding each post and adapted to frictionally hold the same against displacement, said spring being constructed to release the post upon initial movement of the post.

5. In a can testing machine the combination of a rotatable carrier provided with a plurality of can holders, each comprising a stationary and a movable clamping head, means including a bell crank member and a toggle connection for actuating the movable head of each holder, a post slidably carried by each bell crank member, means for yieldably holding said posts against dis lacement, a cam in the path of travel o said posts for closing the holders, a cam in the normal path of travel of said posts for opening the holders, and a cam in the path of travel of said posts when moved from normal position for opening said holders. 6. In a can testing machine, the combination of a rotatable carrier provided with a plurality of can holders, a tankl in which the lower portion of said carrier is submerged, means fo r feeding cans to said carrier at one side of the tank, means for clamping the cans in said holders, a discharge chute at one side of said tank, kickout mechanism for discharging the cans from said carrier into said discharge chute, and a drip plate mounted beneath the upper portion of said carrier.

7 In a can testing machine, the combination of a rotatable carrier provided with a plurality of canl holders, a tank in which the lower portion of said carrier is submerged, means for feeding cans to said carrier at one side ofthe tank, means for clamping the cans in said holders, a discharge chute at one side of said tank, kickout mechanism for discharging the cans from said-carrier into said discharge chute, a drip plate mounted beneath the upper portion of said carrier, and common means for supporting said kickout mechanism and said drip plate. I

8. Ina can testing machine the combination of a vrotatable carrier provided on its lperiphery with a series of can holders, a

` ollow stationary shaft concentric with said carrier, a disk provided with a single port,

' fixed on said shaft, means for supplying air under pressure to the shaft', a connection between the interior of the shaft andv the port in said disk, a plate rotatable with the carrier in contiguous relation to said disk,

said plate being provided with a' series of ports'adapted to successively7 register with said disk port, a connection between each plate port and its respective4 can holder, and means forv yieldingly urging said plate ,toward said disk. A

9. In a can testing machine the combination of a stationary hollow shaft, means for supplying air to one end thereof, a normally `plate slidably doweled to sai with said shaft, a plate connected each of said plate ports with its respective can holder, and springs interposed between said carrier and said plate for maintaining a 'sealingy relation between said plate and said disk. A

l0. In a can testingmachine the combination of a stationary hollow shaft, a' tubular shaft rotatable about said hollow shaft, a carrier fixed to said tubular shaft, a disk adjustably fixed to said stationar l shaft, a carrier,

springs for urging said plate into sealing relation with said disk, said .disk being provided with a single port and vsaid plate being provided with a series of ports adapted to successively register with said disk port,

a connection .between the interior of said shaft and said disk port, a plurality of can v holders mounted upon the periphery of said carrier, and a connection from each plate port to its respective can holder.

'WILLIAM CAMERON. 

